Dornessiti (Hobbit Short Story)

Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry the update took so long, I've been super busy with my new school year. This chapter is dedicated to TeresSue for her encouraging messages, thank you! And thanks to all my lovely readers who stick with me despite my super slow updates, love you all! Hope you enjoy ;)
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Thorin slipped into the room, putting the tray down on the chest of drawers. Hazel was still curled up in bed, clutching her teddies tightly. In the dim morning light, Thorin could see the frown on her face as she slept. He went over quietly and shook her shoulder.
"Time to wake up little princess," he said softly. Hazel bolted upright, scrambling backwards until her back hit the wall. Thorin held both his hands up, showing there was nothing in them.
"Shh, it's okay princess, it's just me," he whispered soothingly.
"S-Sorry d-daddy," she stuttered. Thorin sat beside her on her little bed, cautiously putting his arm around the terrified child.
"It's okay, did you have a bad dream?" He asked. Hazel nodded, leaning against him. He could feel how tense she was, but was silently thankful for the trust she put in him.
"S-Sorry," she repeated. Thorin leant down and kissed the top of her head.
"Hey, there's nothing to be sorry for, you can't help it," he reassured her. Hazel nodded again. He got up, getting the tray from the chest of drawers and bringing it over to her.
"Wh-What's that?" Asked Hazel.
"Breakfast little one."
Hazel smiled.
"Th-Thank y-you d-daddy."
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To Thorin's relief she ate almost all of her breakfast and drank all of the hot chocolate he had made for her. She'd had a massive grin on her face after her first sip and Thorin made a mental note to get some more hot chocolate. He took her out not long after that, going to the village to get her some new clothes. Hazel clung to Thorin's hand the entire time, not once leaving his side. As they left the seamstresses, there was a shout of:
"Uncle Thorin!"
Thorin turned about, holding onto Hazel's hand. His 17 year old nephew, Fili, was coming over to them. Hazel hid behind Thorin's legs, clutching her blue teddy tightly. Fili was tall for his age and had enough weapons on him to be classed as a hedgehog.
"Fili," smiled Thorin "Good to see you." Hazel clung to Thorin's leg tightly, her hands shaking a little. He crouched down to her.
"It's okay dornessiti, it's just my nephew Fili, the oldest of Dis's two boys. He won't hurt you I promise," he soothed.
"O-Okay d-daddy," she murmured. Thorin picked her up and Hazel buried her face in his coat.
"Daddy?" Inquired Fili.
"I went to the orphanage yesterday," explained Thorin. A grin spread across Fili's face.
"Finally did it hey? Mum will be pleased," he said. Thorin chuckled.
"Of course she will, she's been nagging me for months."
Hazel looked over at Fili, her dark blue eyes full of curiosity.
"I-If y-your d-daddy's nephew, d-does that m-mean y-your my c-cousin?" She asked quietly. Fili smiled at her, the braids on his moustache swinging slightly.
"Yes, it does," he said. Hazel gave him a tiny smile, still clinging to her father.
"What's your name little one?" Fili asked.
"H-Hazel," she answered quietly. Fili turned to Thorin, smiling.
"You know mum will want to meet her," he said. Thorin nodded.
"I know, I was going to drop around at one point."
"You could come over tonight," offered Fili "Mum won't mind."
Hazel's grip tightened and she looked worriedly up at Thorin. He faltered for a second, glancing down at his daughter.
"Would you like that Hazel? You'd meet your new auntie Dis and your other cousin Kili," he asked gently. Hazel nodded hesitantly.
"Sure?"
"Y-Yes d-daddy," she answered.
"I'll see you two later then," interrupted Fili. Thorin nodded at his nephew.
"Bye Fee."
"Goodbye uncle, goodbye Hazel," he said, heading back towards his work. Thorin looked back down at Hazel.
"You okay with all this? I was planning to get you settled in for a couple of nights first but..."
"I-It's okay d-daddy," she said, snuggling up tiredly inside Thorin's coat. He ran his fingers through her hair gently.
"You want to go home now?" He asked gently. Hazel nodded sleepily, snuggling inside Thorin's coat. He carried his daughter home, taking her over to the sofa and laying her down. She snuggled beneath his coat, smiling in her sleep.
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Hazel woke a few hours later in her room, surrounded by her teddy bears. A large, blue leather coat with fur lining was laid over her, smelling like woodsmoke and iron. She smiled a little, cuddling her blue teddy tight. Clattering could be heard from the kitchen and Hazel headed downstairs, teddy in hand, Thorin's coat trailing on the floor.
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She peeked around the door to see Thorin busy making tea, lost in thought.
"D-Daddy?" She whispered quietly. Thorin looked up, smiling softly despite the far away look in his eyes.
"Vemu dornessiti (hello princess) I was just going to come and get you," he said "How about you go into the living room and I'll bring the tea?"
Hazel nodded, trundling into the living room and clambering up onto the big blue armchair. It was her favourite, being the same colour as Mr Teddy.
Thorin just chuckled lowly to himself when he saw his little girl curled up in his armchair, wearing his coat and cuddling her teddy bear. It was enough to melt the dwarf's heart, if it hadn't been stolen by her already.
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He let Hazel stay in his armchair, settling himself on the sofa and handing her a little cup of tea he'd made for her. Sipping at his own tea, Thorin stared deep into the fire, lost in thought and memory.
"D-Daddy?" Asked Hazel worriedly after a few minutes of silence. Thorin looked up with a jolt, pulling himself quickly out of the ocean of thoughts that had engulfed him.
"Yes princess?"
Hazel studied her adoptive father for a moment, her little dark eyes every bit as intelligent as someone twice her age.
"Wh-What's wrong d-daddy?" She asked quietly, slipping off her chair and going over to him.
"I'm okay princess," Thorin responded just as quietly. His hand had subconsciously crept to a thin silver chain around his neck. Hazel crawled up beside him and snuggled in close.
"P-Please tell me d-daddy," she pleaded softly. Thorin just slipped an arm around her protectively, turning his face away and staring back into the fire.  Worry building more by the second, Hazel stood on the sofa and turned his face back to her with one little hand. She could see the faintest hint of tears building up in Thorin's sad blue eyes and hugged him tightly. He rested his head on her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her protectively and pulling her close to him.
"Wh-What's w-wrong daddy?" Hazel asked again. Thorin sighed softly.
"It's nothing princess, I'm okay."
Hazel drew back and looked her adoptive father straight in the eyes.
"Y-your lying, w-whats wrong d-daddy?"
Thorin broke eye contact for a moment, still fiddling with the chain around his neck, before saying quietly:
"A lot of things are wrong, dornessiti, and I wish I could make them right; but I can't."
Hazel suddenly hugged him even tighter, squeezing him as if her life depended on it.
"I-I'm sorry d-daddy," she apologised quietly. Thorin stroked her hair comfortingly, cursing himself inwardly for worrying her.
"You've done nothing wrong, little one," he said softly "It's nothing to do with you. It all happened long before you were born."
Hazel looked up at her daddy, a tiny little smile crossing her lips which warmed Thorin's heart to the core.
"I-its o-okay daddy, I-I can help y-you when y-your sad now," she comforted. Thorin gently pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Thank you, princess."
Hazel just continued smiling cutely.
"I-It's okay daddy."
Thorin gave her one last gentle squeeze before glancing to the mantelpiece and seeing the time.
"C'mon princess, we need to get going or we're going to be late for dinner," he said, getting up.
Hazel nodded, anticipation tying knots in her tummy.
"W-Will A-Auntie D-Dis like m-me?" She asked quietly. Thorin's brows knitted together in a frown as he looked down at his daughter.
"Of course she'll like you," he comforted, but Hazel still seemed hesitant.
"W-w-what I-if a-auntie D-dis d-d-doesnt l-like m-me and M-makes y-you t-take m-m-me b-back?" Hazel asked, sniffling slightly. Thorin scooped her up into his arms, holding her gently and looking down at her.
"Oh Hazel, I wouldn't do that dornessiti. You're my daughter now, I told you that, I wouldn't ever take you back to that place. Never Hazel, never ever. You are not going back to that orphanage."
At his words, she buried her face in his chest, her little arms clutching him tightly.
"P-Promise?" Came a muffled little voice.
"I promise dornessiti," answered Thorin truthfully "You're safe now, and I'm never letting anyone take you away from me."